An Evening in Confidence
by McQuirk
Summary: After Kimberly finds out that Jason has been living in Florida for months, she pays him a visit to find out why. Will he be honest with her? Or does she have demons of her own to reveal? A snapshot into their lives in Florida.
1. The First Evening

Shout out to daniaryezel!

* * *

Florida was not known for its cold weather, but tonight was an exception. A jacket-clad brunette stood at the doorstep of apartment 212, her breath coming out in cloudy puffs. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath before knocking on the door.

_I hope you're home, Jase_, she thought.

Kimberly thought she saw a light in the window of his studio as she walked towards the complex, but she might have been mistaken. She knocked again, but there was no answer.

"Jason? Jase! Are you home? I know you're in there! Open up!"

She was banging on the door now, secretly praying that none of his neighbors would come out and yell at her. _Or call the police_, she thought morbidly.

Kimberly had been trying to get in touch with Jason for weeks and left dozens of messages on his phone. She finally found the time between gymnastics training and entertaining her mom to check on him. If there was the slightest chance that Jason was home, she would knock all night.

She vainly hoped that their friendship had not deteriorated to the point where he would outright ignore her. In a last ditch attempt, Kimberly reached for the knob. It was unlocked.

Kimberly squared her shoulders before inviting herself in. She tip-toed a few steps and took in her surroundings. Gray cracks covered the walls from corner to corner, and there was very little furniture. The click-clack of her footsteps drew her attention to the hardwood floor. Spare the pile of clothes and boxes in one corner, the apartment was cramped and Spartan-like. She almost laughed at the contrast. It was like someone gave up unpacking and heaped everything in one spot, though Kimberly was sure Jason had been living there for almost four months.

At last, her eyes landed on the source of her mounting frustration. Kimberly caught his eye as he rushed out of the bathroom, no doubt to investigate the loud noise.

"Knock, knock," Kimberly declared tentatively.

Jason stopped short with his mouth agape, startled at her appearance. Kim stared back. His hair was dripping wet and a pair of sweatpants hung low on his hips.

In high school, Jason was known for being muscular, as well as handsome. Kimberly often found herself staring daggers at the droves of girls ogling Jason during his katas at the Youth Center. She never did like the shallow ones. While she was not interested in him that way, she could not help but notice his leaner build. If anything, it made him more attractive.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Jason hastily grabbed a towel and cursed as he slipped on the wet floor.

She flashed a half grin, but her eyes remained tight, uncertain. She was glad he was not purposely avoiding her, but she still did not want to get off on the wrong foot. Not after finally making contact.

"Is that any way to greet your favorite pink ranger?" Kimberly quipped.

Jason grimaced as he self-consciously adjusted the waistband of his pants and frowned at his lack of furniture. His studio was not exactly visitor friendly.

After deciding that Jason was not going to kick her out, she stepped closer to him. "Your door was open."

As he toweled his hair dry, Jason quickly rearranged his face from annoyed to a more neutral expression. He sat on the edge of the bed.

Kim knew he was juggling a day job as well as classes, though that was nothing compared to high school and secret superhero identities. Not two years ago, he would wake up in the middle of the night to do perimeter checks to make sure putties or one of Rita's monsters would not threaten his family. Jason's carelessness was uncharacteristic.

"You look like shit though, so I'm not surprised," Kimberly continued. She glanced around and saw that bags of trash accompanied the pile of laundry. "You do know that you have to take the trash _out_, right?"

Her rapid-fire comments appeared to jerk Jason out of his daze.

"Thanks. You always know how to cheer up a guy." His response was clipped and sarcastic.

Over the years, Jason got used to Kimberly's blunt remarks. It was her tactic of choice when breaking the ice, and it usually worked. Tonight however, he was tired and upset that she came unannounced.

Kimberly, with her hawk-like perception, picked up on his mood. "Jason, when was the last time you slept?" She stepped forward, concern gracing her face.

Jason threw a glare in her direction, daring her to come closer. "Last night..."

"Bullshit." Exasperation crept into her voice. She did not drive an hour and a half in the rain to be met with a cold front, and she did not mean the weather.

"Kim, what are you even doing here?" Jason's eyes narrowed. "How did you find me?"

"Get this—your parents called me," She threw her hands up as Jason scoffed and slowly bowed his head.

Of course his parents would be his undoing. They were the only people he felt too guilty about shutting out. Jason had no real excuse for flying low on the radar apart from wanting some space to think and be alone.

Kim continued, "I thought you went back home after the Pan Globals, but they said you didn't come back. A few months later I get a call updating me on your life when you're just sixty miles away!" A strand of hair blew away from her face as she huffed her last words, all concern for Jason's health replaced with palpable anger.

"Look. I'm sorry you had to go through all this, but I'm fine. See?" Jason looked down at himself and met Kim's scowl with raised eyebrows.

"This isn't funny, Jase. Why didn't you tell me you were still in Florida? I mean, didn't you care about how I was doing after the meet?" Kim made a move to sit next to Jason on the bed. That is, until she saw him roll his eyes.

"Oh, I see. So it's really all about _you_."

Kimberly placed her hands on her hips. "What's wrong with you?" She was standing over him now. "Since when was ignoring my calls a good idea? I've been worried sick about you. You knew I would come knocking on your doorstep at some point!"

Jason observed Kimberly defiantly and decided to take a moment to regard his petite childhood friend. She remained unchanged. Her hair was the same shade of caramel brown he remembered, she had the same doe eyes, her lips were on the verge of a pout—typical—and she always, always had that aura of purpose.

He knew she cared about him—he had about fifty voice messages to prove it—but he did not want to deal with her. He didn't want to talk about his feelings, or what he was doing now, or what he was going to do.

"No, don't give me that look, Jase. I know you better than anyone, and I can tell you want to reach out, but you're too afraid. Why else would you still be here in Florida?" Kimberly tilted her head. "And why are you so angry with the world?"

A muscle in his jaw twitched. It was one of the many questions he did not have an answer to. Kimberly was standing close enough for him to smell her floral perfume, and he was uncomfortably reminded of his bare chest. He really wanted to be left alone, and he certainly did not want to have a heart to heart. _Or a heart to Hart. _

Jason met Kimberly's challenging stare and leaned back on his elbows. He hated how he had to angle his head to look up at her, and he knew _she knew_ he hated it.

"If I really was trying to avoid you guys, I would have moved somewhere no one could find me, and if I secretly wanted to reach out, I would have moved back home, not here where you're up to your neck with gymnastics and your long-distance—"

Kimberly raised a hand before he could say more. "Stop! Just stop. This isn't about me." Both Jason and Kimberly noticed that her voice took on a shrill quality. It was a voice they had not heard since middle school.

"Listen. Kim," he wanted to prevent the argument from escalating further. "I don't want to argue with you. I didn't ask you to come here, so maybe you should leave." Standing up with his palms out, fingers splayed in a placating gesture, Jason walked past Kim towards the still-open door.

Being harsh was out of character for Jason unless he was dealing with alien monsters, Kimberly knew. There was something off about Jason tonight, and he was trying too hard to push her away. She wanted to find out why and debated whether to take the stern or gentle route. Ultimately, she did not come to argue, and her face softened. Kimberly silently removed her jacket, hung it on the closet doorknob, and eased onto the creaky mattress, arms crossed over her chest.

Jason regarded her warily. Did she not hear what he just said?

"I'm not leaving until you explain yourself," Kim said softly. "Give me something. Anything."

"Kim, I just want to be alone right now."

"That's not an answer." She patted a spot next to her.

Jason covered his face with his hands and muttered to himself. He clicked the door shut and plopped on the bed beside Kimberly. She waited patiently for his response.

Looking up at the popcorn ceiling, Jason said, "I just needed some alone time, and I didn't feel like flying into the thick of things back home with whatever the hell is going on there. How's that?"

"It's a start."

Hesitantly, Kimberly reached out to smooth an unruly wave from his forehead. Jason jerked away.

"Kim…" Her touch was unexpected.

She persisted and cupped his cheek so he couldn't pull away again. "Come on, JJ... it's me. It's Kimmy. I know something's going on in that thick skull of yours," she swept a lock of hair away from his temple. Kimberly always liked how his hair would curl a little when it was longer. "Tell me what's really going on with you. Please?"

Jason's gaze was hard. He would often cup her face in the same manner when they were younger, when Kimberly sought a reprieve from her verbally abusive father. She would climb through the window and they would talk for hours, protected by the dark cloak of night. Somehow it felt like she was using the closeness of their friendship against him.

"Don't pull that 'JJ' crap on me." Jason immediately regretted his sharp retort when he saw the hurt look in her eyes.

She sighed. "I'm serious, Jase." She was not going to give up when she was close to getting through to him.

"Well, so am I."

Kimberly tried a different approach. "Ok, how about explaining why you left Switzerland in the first place. And you can't use the Pan Globals as an excuse."

Jason slumped a little. "I don't want to get into it. I'm really tired and apparently look like shit. Can we just forget it?"

"No dice," Kimberly said with a shake of her head.

"Fine."

"Fine?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"I'll talk…if you tell me about Tommy."

All of a sudden, Jason desperately needed to know how Tommy was handling leadership with the current rangers. Being truthful with Kimberly would open a dam of anguish, and Tommy was a lifeline, an object at which he could direct his frustrations. Jason was not so out of touch with ranger life to know that Tommy now wore his color. A darker part of him was bubbling with jealousy, wanting to possess the power of the Red Ranger once again. With a mental shake, Jason put aside the dismal thoughts and attentively waited for Kimberly's answer.

Kim froze. Did Jason know about her and Tommy?

"He's doing fine. About as fine as he could be with villains popping up everywhere. Why?"

"No reason. I haven't talked to him in a while, that's all."

_Liar_, Kimberly thought. She was not sure why Jason was so interested in the current Red Ranger. Perhaps he missed being a ranger. Though, she never knew Jason to be envious…

Jason gave Kimberly a sidelong stare. "Do you get to see him at all?"

"Not really, no. We're both pretty busy, in case you didn't notice." There was something in her tone that bothered Jason, and he became self-conscious once again.

"Look at us Kim. We're sitting on my bed alone, and I'm half-naked," Jason glanced down at the slim arm resting on his shoulder. "If Tommy teleports here, it should be to see you, not to beat my ass." He cracked a grin in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Kimberly, unsmiling, withdrew her arm and her demeanor grew stiff.

A foreboding sense of dread washed over Jason.

Letting out a breath she did not know she was holding, Kimberly said, "Well, I don't think you have to worry about that."

Jason sat up to look at Kim more carefully, suspicious at the meaning behind her words. Despite her efforts to look away, a teary glint at the corner of her eye caught his attention.

"You split up?" he whispered gently.

"Yes," Kimberly said, her voice cracking.

Jason's eyes widened slightly, and suddenly everything made sense.

* * *

Let me know what you think!


	2. Just Like Old Times

Hello! If you have read this story before, please read the rewritten first chapter (as of 2/2015). I have expanded the story at the suggestion of my beta. Thanks again to daniaryezel!

* * *

Kimberly paused to duck her head and collect herself.

Jason's surprisingly gentle tone struck a chord, and the last thing she wanted was to break down in front of him.

"It happened right before the Pan Globals." Swallowing hard, Kimberly continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "Jason, I didn't come here to talk about my nonexistent relationship."

At a loss for words, Jason ran a hand through his damp hair. He felt like he ate a brick. He had been in Florida for months while Kimberly was going through the aftermath of the break-up. His mind wandered to all the voice messages on his phone, all the ones from Kim he never listened to.

He searched her eyes and found what she really wanted to say: _Why weren't you there for me?_

More than anything, he wanted to draw Kimberly close and comfort her like the big brother he grew to become. She refused to meet his gaze, however, so he reached for her hand instead, covering it with his own.

Kimberly smiled a small smile. Jason's hand completely enveloped hers.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He tried to convey as much sympathy as possible in his voice and eyes.

Kimberly squeezed his hands and then hugged him tightly, burying her face in his neck. His skin was warm and smooth, and his musk matched the one in her memories.

"If you need to talk, I'm here now," he said into her raspberry-scented hair.

Kimberly turned to look Jason full in the face.

"Now that I know you're not strung up on drugs or dead," she gave a watery smile, "we don't need to talk about Tommy right at this moment."

Jason brushed away a tear on her cheek. Strong-willed Kimberly did not often show her vulnerable side. He did not like that Tommy was the source of her pain. He had every intention of confronting Tommy the next time he saw him. Jason sighed internally. He had to make it up to Kim before that happened. He, too played a role in her pain.

"Sorry. Hah, I can't tell if I got your neck wet from crying or if that's from your hair." Her voice was shaky as she wiped at his collar bone.

"It's okay. Hey," an idea struck Jason as he caught her hand. "Do you want to grab some ice cream and watch a movie? Are you even allowed to eat ice cream?"

Kimberly settled into his side and nodded. Her diet was strict as a gymnast, but she could make an exception for Jason.

"Yeah, I can splurge every once in a while. What movie do you have in mind?" A nice night in seemed appealing.

"I don't know. Anything you want. I know you don't like watching action movies like I do."

She tilted her head up and smirked. "You're okay with getting a romantic comedy? I never thought I'd see the day."

Jason groaned. "Let me put on some clothes. Let's go."

OooooO

A tub of ice cream and two movies later, Jason and Kimberly laid on the bed debating whether or not Demi Moore looked like Audrey Hepburn.

"I mean, they're both brunette and kind of waif-like, right?" Kim was scraping at the bottom of her bowl.

Jason looked up. "Yeah, I guess so. Demi Moore's bangs are kind of long, though."

"Do you think I could pull off Audrey?" She modeled different angles of her face and held the spoon in her fingers like a cigarette.

"Yeah… just replace the gymnastics get-up with something classier."

They both burst out laughing and settled into a companionable silence. It was nice to be in each other's company after so long. Kimberly could not remember the last time she had a carefree evening. Life was all about gymnastics, Trini was on a different continent, and Tommy never came out to visit when they were dating. Kimberly looked at the time. It was almost midnight, and she was not in the mood to make the hour drive back to her apartment.

"Is it alright if I stay, Jase? I don't have anything going on tomorrow." Somehow, asking the question felt awkward. Maybe it was because Mrs. Hart was back at her apartment. Kimberly was not looking forward to explaining her whereabouts to her mother, even if it was Jason.

Jason looked around contemplatively and stifled a yawn. "Yeah, of course. But I don't have any extra pillows or blankets…" He frowned. The sparse state of his apartment brought down his uplifted spirits.

"Oh that's okay, I have some stuff in my car. I'll grab it right quick." Kimberly flounced off the bed and slipped on her jacket as Jason collected the bowls.

"Hey, Kim?" Jason's voice was suppliant.

She turned on her heel to face him. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for ignoring you. I know it won't make you feel better, but, I was ignoring everyone not just you. I was dealing with...stuff." Jason gulped. This apology was on his mind all night, but the words were still hard to form. "You mean a lot to me, and I apologize for not being there for you."

Kimberly beamed graciously and walked towards Jason. She knew he would beat himself up about not being there for her. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek.

"I know, Jase. And it's okay, really," she pushed on as Jason shook his head in disagreement. "No, it's okay. I'm so happy to see you again. Just…please don't fall of the face of the earth like that again, okay?"

"Okay."

"Promise?"

Jason smiled. "Pinky-promise."

Kimberly let out a girlish giggle as she held out her little finger for him to take. Then her face grew serious.

"I love you, Jase. You know that, right?"

Jason nodded and his jaw dropped slightly. He could not remember the last time she said that to him in earnest. He mentally kicked himself again for ignoring her and cleared his throat to reply, but Kimberly had already turned around.

Kimberly called over her shoulder, "I'll be back before you know it," and headed out the door, keys in hand, before he could offer to help.

OooooO

A couple of minutes later, Kimberly returned. She carefully opened the door and felt a pang of disappointment.

Jason was lying down fast asleep.

_Well, I should have expected that_, Kimberly thought.

She carefully closed the door behind her, making sure to lock it. Quietly, she pulled a blanket over him. Jason made a humming noise.

Kimberly stared at his face for a long time, searching for the boy she knew years ago. She almost could not find him under the dark circles under his eyes, the facial stubble, and the frown lines between his eyebrows. _We grew up way too fast_, Kimberly mused. They both changed so much, and yet they were still able to find each other after life drew them apart—thousands of miles and an ocean apart.

Kimberly turned off the light and slipped under her own blanket on the other side of the bed.

"Night, JJ," she whispered.

As Kimberly's eyelids grew heavy, she was thankful that they had each other. She was grateful for all of the rangers, feeling that one day, life would bring them together again, too. Most of all, she was thankful she did not have to face the next day alone.

* * *

More to come! Please review!


	3. JPOV: Hazy Mornings

_He was rolling on the ground, nearly blinded by fog. The walls were made of darkness, and the only source of light came from distant star-like pinpoints. He knew the air was cold enough to see his breath, but he was content to let it diffuse into the fog low to the ground. Every so often there was a clang of metal against stone. Sometimes it was far away, sometimes it drew nearer._

_"There's no way out, Red Ranger!" Goldar roared._

_Jason could see the metal of his sword crash a few feet away. Pressing his back flat against the ground, he tried to catch a glimpse of his morpher._

_"Are you going to fight me, or hide like a coward? Come and get your morpher, Ranger! Not that it would make it a fair fight, hehehe…"_

_Goldar's voice was directly above him now. The dark-winged creature drew up his sword and swung it down with a mighty _clang_! The blade missed Jason's left ear by hairs. He broke out into a cold sweat and his breath was coming out in shudders._

Even if I get my morpher, how am I getting out? _Jason thought._

_All of a sudden, Goldar was cackling in front of his face._

_"Thought you could hide from me, did you?"_

_An unimaginable pain ripped through his torso as the golden-clad warrior sneered, twisting metal into his gut._

_"You lose, Ranger."_

"Jason!"

Jason woke up with a jolt and sweat dripping down his face. He could have sworn there was a piece of metal jutting out from his stomach, but when he looked down, there was nothing. Kimberly was grasping his shoulders now, a picture of concern.

"Jason, are you okay?"

Bewildered, Jason blinked at Kimberly, surprised that her presence. Early daylight shone through the blinds behind him. It was a stark contrast from the Dark Dimension.

"Uh, yeah, it was a nightmare." He squinted as he made a move to get up.

"No, you stay there. I'll get you a glass of water." Kim scurried to the kitchenette.

Jason swung his legs over the side of the bed and rested his elbows on his knees. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands in an attempt to rid his mind of Goldar's apish evil grin. _This is not real, this is not real…_ He repeated the mantra in his head to shake the memories from his brain. He had this nightmare every once in a while, but Goldar never succeeded in stabbing him before. He wondered why this time was different.

"Here you go." A glass of water appeared beside his arm. Kimberly sat down beside him with her legs folded beneath her. It was a habit she had since childhood.

"Thanks, Kim." He gulped down a few sips gratefully. Kimberly waited patiently for Jason to talk.

"What was it about?" she asked after a moment.

Jason closed his eyes and answered in a grainy voice. "What was what about?" He was confused.

Kimberly tilted her head to the side. "The nightmare?"

_Oh._ Jason sighed deeply as he set the empty glass on the floor. "Just one of our fights."

_Well, technically _my _fight. With Goldar_. Jason did not want to get into the details of the recurring nightmarish vision.

Kimberly nodded with understanding and inched closer to rub large circles on his back. He welcomed the act of comfort and rested his head on her shoulder, letting her lingering raspberry shampoo invade his senses.

"Sorry. I guess my surprise visit must have jump-started those memories."

"Maybe. I didn't think about that." He closed his eyes again.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Jason's breathing calmed down. He belatedly noticed that she was wearing her gymnastics jacket. He assumed she was already awake from her early practice routine, and decided he did not feel as bad since he did not wake her up with his nightmare. In any case, he was not going back to sleep any time soon.

"Let's get you cleaned up." She reached for the hem of his shirt and peeled the wet cloth off of his back.

"Um, you don't have to baby me, Kim. I'm a big boy." He smiled vaguely as he pushed her hands away.

Kimberly looked at him pointedly. "I am not babying you."

Smugly, Jason said, "Okay if not that, then is there a reason why you're trying to get me naked again?"

With a swat to the side of his head, Kimberly scoffed. "Wow, someone woke up feeling like a rock star." She rolled her eyes. "You go take a shower, and while you do that I'll going to call my mom. Is that okay?" Kimberly tilted her head in the direction of the phone hanging on the wall.

"Yup. I'm just going to take my shirt off in the bathroom, _away_ from prying eyes."

Jason got up and headed for the shower for the second time in twelve hours. As he shut the door, he heard Kim's voice through the wall.

"You know, it's not like I haven't seen it already!"

Jason stopped short. _What?_ He poked his head out to aim a confused look at Kimberly. She waved back and smiled knowingly.

"Hi, mom." She had already dialed her mom's number.

Jason narrowed his eyes. He would ask about that little comment later.

As he stepped into the shower and let the spray wash away his muddled, nightmarish thoughts, he let his mind wander to happier times in Switzerland. Often, he found himself thinking about weekend trips and late night talks with Zack and Trini. Zack was particularly instrumental in keeping his spirits up, always cracking jokes at every turn. With the burden of being a ranger lifted, it was like Zack could finally do something important with his shining personality.

Then there was Trini. Reserved, soft-spoken, quietly beautiful Trini. Jason never said admitted it aloud, but he developed feelings for Trini while in Geneva. If Trini had feelings for him too, he did not know.

If Jason was the team's protector and leader, Trini was their rock and their healer. She was a reservoir of strength that he drew upon when in need. When he heard that she was applying for the Peace Conference, he felt her future absence strongly. So he applied also.

Fun times, good company, and breath-taking scenery did not remedy his feelings of self-deprecation, however. Ever since Tommy came back as the White Ranger, Jason felt like he was incapable of leadership—of anything, really.

Because he was unable to save Tommy from losing his Green Ranger powers, Zordon and Alpha had to intervene. Jason saw himself as a failure when Tommy was announced as the new leader. He was more than happy for his best friend…but what did that say about Jason?

Moreover, Jason saw himself as a guardian to not only to his team, but to Kimberly. She fainted in awe at the reveal of the White Ranger; since then, Tommy was her protector, her white knight in shining armor so to speak.

Zordon and Alpha did not need him to be leader of the Power Rangers. Kimberly had no need for her big brother with Tommy around. At the Peace Conference, Zack and Trini were able to flex their diplomatic muscles while Jason blundered about trying to find his place, unable to heed the irresistible call to the Power. There seemed to be no direction or purpose in his life without the Power he was not worthy to possess.

_And now, things are different. I'm back in the U.S., Kim and Tommy are broken up…_

It was not much, but it was a shift in his life. For once in a long time, someone needed him. Even now, he failed at that. _I was too self-absorbed to really be there…_

Jason decided that he was done with the self-hate for now and turned off the showerhead. He could hear Kimberly's muffled voice through the wall as he dried and clothed himself.

"Yeah, I have practices Monday through Saturday. I just have to run on Sundays. I'll probably do that later. When will I get home? Um, I don't know. Maybe in the afternoon?"

_Why was Mrs. Hart asking about when Kim was coming home? _Jason wondered.

"We just watched some movies. Yeah, I had some ice cream, so I _have_ to run today."

Jason stepped out of the bathroom and watched Kimberly intently. She curled the phone cord around her fingers as she briefly smiled at him.

"She's just a girl I met. It's a relief to know someone outside of gymnastics."

Jason raised an eyebrow. Kimberly stuck out her tongue in response.

"Jasmine. Oh, mom, I gotta go. She's waiting for me and we're going to head out to breakfast soon. Okay. Bye."

She hung the phone on the hook as Jason crossed his arms.

"Did you just call me a 'she'? Named _Jasmine_?" He figured Kimberly did not want her mom knowing she spent the night with him, even if they only watched movies and slept.

"Yeah…she visiting me for a bit, and it was just easier to say that then to explain that you were back in town. She's a little sensitive about me being around guys after…." She raised her eyebrows.

He knew. What Mrs. Hart did not know was that Kimberly would spend the night in his bedroom when they were younger, when she was scared or felt lonely. That was something she did not ever need to know, and he was content to be labeled "Jasmine" for now.

"So…breakfast?" Jason asked.

"So, breakfast. I'm not going to have much, though. I feel like I gained a pound from last night." Kimberly puffed out her cheeks and patted her stomach.

Jason rolled his eyes and made no comment. That was one thing he would never understand.

* * *

Thanks for reading. Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	4. KPOV: Crane, crane, fly away

Note: Yay, an update! I wasn't expecting to get another chapter up so soon, but here it is. Also, I won't be exploring Murianthas in this fic if people were wondering.

* * *

Kimberly spent most of the drive back to her apartment contemplating. Seeing Jason again was a relief now that she knew he was all right, but for some reason she got the sense that he was not _all_ right. He was cooped up in a cheerless apartment with seemingly no direction in his life, and his initial reception of her was a little icy. Breakfast had been as playful and open as the movie night before, however, nothing he said or did hinted at why he was still in Florida or why he did not answer her calls or why he left Switzerland in the first place. The fact that she was almost a stranger in his life stung, and she felt betrayed because Jason was not there for her. He was within reach, and she did not even know it.

_There's also the question of the nightmares..._ Kimberly mused. She had no idea he had them that bad. Jason had thrashed and moaned for a long time before she could wake him up. There was only one fight that could have haunted him so. The Dark Dimension. It was the one fight no one else had been a witness to, and though she knew Jason would never admit it, it was a fight in which he felt most vulnerable.

It was too soon to seriously ask those questions, she finally decided, especially after she opened up about herself and dropped the bombshell about her breakup with Tommy. Jason would not open up about himself while he knew she was still hurting. He was a gentleman in that way. She would have to start healing before Jason would burden her with his problems. Also, he still did not know the struggles she went through with her teammates and the pressure to stay thin.

It was definitely too soon to have that heart to heart. She would have to confront him at some point, but in the meantime, it was comforting to know that Jason was around.

Kimberly's thoughts turned in a different direction when she drove by a familiar restaurant. She and Tommy ate there when he visited nearly a year ago. Tommy sometimes teleported to see her, even though he was not supposed to. She smiled as she thought back on their haphazard attempts to not be seen. It would have been difficult if word got out that Tommy was in Florida when he was supposed to be heading to class.

Happier times seemed miles away now, and Kimberly lamented her broken relationship. She had developed feelings for a fellow gymnast named Matt and felt guilty for seeing him while Tommy was on the west coast, putting his life in danger every day. So she stupidly broke up with Tommy in a letter.

She rationalized time and time again that she was stressed and had no support group to lean on, and so, she reached out romantically.

However Kimberly decided to rationalize her actions, her heart told her that she did not care for Matt like she cared for Tommy. By the time she came to this realization, it was too late. She heard from the grapevine that, in his excitement, Tommy had read her "Dear John" letter in front of everyone at the Youth Center. There was no going back from that.

To make matters worse, after a less-than-stellar performance at the Pan Globals, Matt ended up moving on to another coach in another state.

_So stupid..._

As Kimberly pulled into her own apartment complex, she mentally prepared herself to face her mother. Mrs. Hart had come to Florida to watch her daughter perform at the prestigious competition, only to find out after that Kimberly was dealing with the aftermath of a breakup, stress from training, and anorexia. It was hard for Kimberly to keep these facts from her overbearingly intuitive mother. So Mrs. Hart stayed.

For the last four months she lived with Kimberly and made sure she was eating healthy enough to keep on training. It was a deal she had to make after her coach found out that she was intermittently starving herself.

It was nice having someone around for a change, but Kimberly could only handle so much of her mother. She cared _too_ much.

Thankfully, Mrs. Hart would be leaving in a week. She had to get back to France, to her fiancee.

Kimberly parked her car and walked to her apartment. She hoped her explanation of the impromptu sleepover on the phone sufficed.

"Hello, Kimberly," Mrs. Hart was put together as always, and locked Kimberly with a critical gaze. "I see you are wearing the same clothes. You didn't think to pack a bag?"

Mrs. Hart closely monitored her daughter's plans through the day and night, and it was uncharacteristic of Kimberly to suddenly stay at a friend's house.

"Nope, I didn't think I would stay that late, but like I said, we got to talking and watching movies and before I knew it, it was midnight," Kimberly answered as she brushed by her mother. "I didn't want to drive back that late."

Mrs. Hart hummed. "Jasmine, right?"

"Yup," she nodded and shrugged out of her jacket. Kimberly was about to head to her room to change into running clothes when her mother spoke again.

"Does Jasmine by any chance wear aftershave?" Her mother arched her brow pointedly, in the same way Kimberly often did.

"No..." Kimberly tried her best to act confused. _Darn it, Jason_. Mrs. Hart's sense of smell was acute, and Kimberly was around a freshly-showered Jason all morning. "There was a guy at the bagel place who wore way too much cologne. We could smell him from across the room!" She made a face and hoped her anecdote was convincing.

The elder Hart put her hand on her hip. "Kimberly, I've been thinking about this all morning," Kimberly mentally cringed as her mother was closing in, "where is Jason?"

Her mother guessed right. Kimberly weighed her options. She could lie again and say that she did not know where he was (even though that was the truth up until a few weeks ago), or she could fess up.

She decided on the latter, since she was going to visit Jason again anyway, and Mrs. Hart would probably call Jason's mom to verify his whereabouts. She sighed. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

"Actually, I had breakfast with Jason this morning."

Mrs. Hart hummed again. "Did you stay with him last night?"

"Yes? Not… exactly. I _finally_ got a hold of—"

"Oh Kim, don't tell me you and Jason—"

"No, no, no. It's not like that, Mom." She was hoping against hope that her mother would not jump to that conclusion, but who was she kidding? Her actions pointed straight to that fact.

"Don't tell me what it's like or what it's not like." She shook her head. "I was your age once, and going through boys like that is not the answer, honey. It's not what you need right now."

Kimberly could not believe what she was hearing. "Oh, you've got the nerve to tell me that after Richard, Peter, and Gustav?" She did not forget the train of men Caroline Hart led into her home after the messy divorce.

Her mother recoiled, but regained her posture. "Don't make this about me. I'm here to help you, and you were doing so well before—"

"Nothing happened between me and Jason. He's like my brother, Mom!" Kimberly involuntarily thought of Jason kissing her the way Tommy had, in places no one could see...

"Isn't that how you described Tommy in your letter?" She was ready with a comeback.

Most arguments were like this with Mrs. Hart. There was no way out of this one for Kimberly. She _knew_ she should not have shared that detail with her mother.

"Yeah, but Jason is different. You know Jason."

Mrs. Hart knew the Scott household was a safe haven of sorts for Kimberly when she was growing up. Her ex-husband was verbally and, though she never admitted to her daughter, physically abusive. While she was grateful that her one and only daughter had a reprieve from her dysfunctional household, Caroline wished Kimberly never needed to leave in the first place. It hurt her to know that she was not the best of mothers, and was often jealous of the relationship she had with the Scotts and wary of her closeness with Jason.

"When were you going to tell me that he was still in Florida? _After_ I left?"

Kimberly ran both hands through her mussed up hair. "Mom, I've been trying to get a hold of him for weeks. I had no idea he stayed in Florida after the Games. I just decided to show up at his place yesterday because he was being stubborn and didn't return my calls. I was worried, that's all."

Her mother exuded disapproval. "And I'm worried about you. You should have told me where you were going."

"Why? So you could tell me not to go?"

"Or something. Kim, I don't know why you choose to surround yourself with men like Tommy and Jason. Now, Matt, I didn't mind Matt. He was good for you and would have looked after you."

Kimberly's face was aghast. Her mother had no idea the type of men she held dear. If only her mother knew the countless number of lives they all saved on a daily basis.

Mrs. Hart continued, "What is Jason doing now, hovering around Florida until I leave? He should be in Switzerland, building a career for himself like Trini and Zack."

"He didn't fit in there, so he came back. He's just figuring things out—"

"Like Tommy? What's _he_ doing now?"

Kimberly closed her eyes in frustration. She hardly missed the note of disdain in her mother's voice. Mrs. Hart was the type of woman who liked accomplished, sophisticated men. In other words, men with money. Kimberly did not want that sort of man for herself. She wanted someone who loved her, like Tommy. Somehow her mother did not see that, and despised how... close she and Tommy became.

"Mom, you care about me, I get that, but you have to let me live my own life, not the one you want for me."

She took a step towards Kimberly. "Sweetie, I want what's best for you, and I want you to succeed." Her gaudy jewelry jangled as she stepped closer.

"And I want to be happy. Seeing another face from home is helping with that. My happiness will lead to my success." Kimberly had not been honest with herself like this in a long time, and it was surprising. Her unhappiness led her to make decisions that did not feel right.

Caroline's face softened a bit. She often forgot that her daughter had a mind of her own. "You're a young woman now, and I know you are capable of great things. I just don't want to see you hurt again. You've had enough of that."

Kimberly grew thoughtful again. Was her mother beginning to apologize for childhood? She did not know, and was too done to ask.

"I know, Mom."

Mrs. Hart nodded and reached for Kimberly.

Instead of leaning into her embrace, Kimberly reached for the bedroom door to change. She understood where her mother was coming from, but did not appreciate how she talked about her closest friends.

"I'm going to go for a run now," Kimberly said, and shut the door behind her.

Mrs. Hart was left in the living room, wondering what she said that made Kimberly react that way. She sat down in a chair and glanced out the window intensely before shuffling through her purse, to go over her flight arrangements. She hoped she was not leaving Kimberly too soon.

* * *

Review, review! :)


	5. JPOV: Friday Evenings

**Two Months Later**

Jason sipped at his smoothie as he watched Kimberly execute a needle scale, a standing 180 degree split, and transition to a cross handstand on the balance beam. She arched her back until her feet touched the beam and then slowly pulled the rest of her body up gracefully until she was standing tall. Kimberly spun around in place, displacing some of the chalk that had gathered on the leather-like surface. She suddenly leapt and did the splits facing Jason, and just as she landed, she did the splits facing her coach at the end of the beam.

"Nicely done, Kimberly. Now finish strong." Coach Schmidt quickly glanced at his chart, checking something off.

Kimberly lifted her arms above her head and raised her left leg behind her, fully embodying a stretching swan. After holding the arabesque for a few seconds, Kimberly cartwheeled, did a back flip, and leapt, turning once, twice, two-and-a-half times before sticking it on the blue mat below.

Clapping twice, Coach Schmidt dismissed Kimberly for the day.

"See you on Monday, Coach," Kimberly huffed with a quick smile. The man nodded as he watched the next gymnast climb onto the beam.

It was Friday afternoon, and Kimberly was free. She excitedly walked towards Jason with a knowing smile. Jason usually came by the practice rooms on Fridays after his shift, and he could not help but smile at Kimberly's excitement.

"You know, I feel like I'm back in high school at Ernie's Juice Bar." Jason looked at his smoothie pointedly. Kimberly giggled.

"You just need to put on your karate outfit and we can relive the good ol' days." She grabbed a water bottle and started walking toward the girls' locker rooms.

"Ha ha. So, do you have any ideas for dinner? I was thinking all-you-can-eat sushi." Jason leaned against the doorway and raised his eyebrows. "What do you say?"

"Sushi, yes. All-you-can-eat, no. I'll be out in a sec."

Jason laughed to himself. He was always teasing Kimberly about her strict diet, and it was not often that she gave in, even if she did rebuff his all-you-can-eat proposition. He looked at the time. _Four thirty_. Practice ended early today. Jason spotted a chair nearby and sank into it, working on his smoothie some more.

After Mrs. Hart left, he and Kimberly fell into a rhythm of sorts. From Monday through Thursday, they would do their own thing, with Jason working and going to class and Kimberly going to practice and coaching middle-school gymnastics. On Fridays, Jason would watch her practice and then they would go to dinner. If Jason had a Saturday class, Kimberly would accompany him to school to use the exercise facilities and then they would hang out for the rest of the day. Sometimes they would catch a movie, go to the beach, rent bikes, or drive around and explore Florida. With Kimberly, Jason experienced a simple happiness he had not felt since they became Power Rangers.

Lately, Jason had been thinking about staying in Florida. He always thought that he would return home to California and start a dojo, but he realized there was not much that tethered him to Angel Grove. Jason reflected for a moment. His parents were pillars in his life, true, but he did not need to be near them to draw strength and support from them. Tommy? He had not talked to Tommy in a long time, and being near the current Red Ranger would most likely open old wounds.

Belatedly, Jason realized that Tommy had been coming up in conversations less frequently.

By the time Kimberly walked up to Jason, his thoughts had turned towards Billy, who was not officially a Power Ranger, but was still working with them.

"Hey, what are you thinking about that's got you frowning?" Kimberly rested a hand on his shoulder, her other hand preoccupied with a gym bag. She was wearing Converse, denim shorts, and a soft pink tank top now.

"Oh, just thinking about…home." Jason stood up.

"Do you miss home? It _has_ been a while since you've been back." She walked beside Jason toward the exit and parking lot.

"Yeah, I guess so. But I miss Trini and Zack, too." Jason felt a little guilty for not completely opening up to Kimberly yet. He had not told her his reasons for leaving Europe and staying in Florida. Sometimes, he did not know himself.

Jason gazed at the blue, open sky. How could he bring himself to tell Kimberly about his doubts and feelings when the sun was shining warmly on his skin and being with her made him forget his unhappiness?

"I talked to Trini yesterday." Kimberly's declaration jolted Jason from his thoughts. "She says she and Zack are doing well, and they miss us, too."

Jason nodded. "What's Trini up to nowadays? I know Zack has a job at the Swiss embassy."

"She just got an internship at a law firm. She's interested in human rights in international law." Kimberly gave Jason a sidelong glance.

He narrowed his eyes at her as he opened the door to his red Jeep. "What? I can't ask about my friends?"

"Well, I don't know. It just seems weird that I know more about them than you, and you saw them last." She shrugged and tossed her bag into the backseat.

Jason stared at the rear view mirror as he pulled out of the parking space. "Well maybe I'm not a good long-distance friend." He was wondering where Kimberly was going with this.

"Ok. I can't handle it anymore." Kimberly turned to face him in her seat. Jason looked alarmed. "You need to call Trini, like this weekend. Like maybe tonight."

"Why? Is something wrong?" It would be just his luck to have something happen to her after he left Europe. No matter what he did, he would be letting his friends down, it seemed. First Kimberly, now Trini. Before Jason's thoughts turned darker, Kimberly answered.

"No, Jase, not like that." She sighed and mumbled to herself.

"Then, what?" Jason was genuinely confused now, and thought about pulling over and shaking Kimberly until she told him what was going on.

"She misses you a lot, that's all. You should call her." She bit her lip. It was a sign that she was holding something back.

Jason's arms started tingling at the thought of hearing Trini's voice. He thought about her occasionally, but at the same time, tried to forget her. He was here, trying to figure out his life, and she was over there, already forging a career. It could never be, not with him in another country. Jason thought about Kimberly and Tommy. _They didn't work out, and they're in the same country. _

Though, Tommy had Power Ranger duties, and Jason did not.

"Why does she want to talk to me _now_ though?" He hoped his nerves did not show.

"I don't know. It's been over half a year now, and you haven't talked to her. She knows you talk to Zack."

Jason groaned inwardly as he made a right-hand turn. Of course, Trini would feel left out. He would talk to Zack and he practically lived with Kimberly, but he made no direct contact with Trini. He always talked through Kimberly or Zack. Jason felt bad, but did not know how else to squelch his feelings for her. He was too busy trying to stop hating himself to have those types of feelings.

"I know. Do you think it will seem contrived if I call her now after all of this time?" He was not sure if he was going to call Trini, yet, but getting an opinion from Kimberly would not hurt.

"Maybe, but she'll be happy to hear your voice either way." Kimberly looked out the window at the passing palm trees.

Jason vaguely wondered if Kimberly knew about his feelings for Trini. Maybe Trini had feelings for him? He had to know now.

"I'll think about it." He turned into the driveway of the sushi restaurant, parking close to the entrance.

"That's all I wanted to hear." She slid out of the passenger seat. Her grin was back. "Now let's eat."

OooooO

Dinner with Kimberly was lighthearted as usual, but Trini tugged at the back of his mind all evening. As they stuffed their mouths with sushi (or maybe that was just Jason), he kept wondering if Kimberly was trying to play international match maker.

After dinner, Kimberly wanted to turn in early, so Jason dropped her off. Right before she closed the door she reminded him to call Trini, so he knew that was the real reason she wanted to leave Jason alone.

Jason stared at the phone on the wall for the better part of an hour before scrambling among some papers to find Trini's number. He took the phone off of the hook and listened to the dial tone. He muttered the digits to himself, dialing with shaky fingers.

"Ugh, what am I doing?" Jason hung up the phone. "I don't even know what I'm going to say!"

Frustrated, Jason flopped onto his mattress. Thinking about Trini made him think about Switzerland. Thinking about Switzerland made him think about why he was not still there, and that in turn made him think about why he left for Switzerland in the first place, almost three years ago.

He missed Trini. And Zack. And Billy, and all the old Rangers and Tommy, too. He missed his old life, fighting with his best friends against evil. While Trini and Zack found ways to fight evil in other ways, Jason was left to fight the demons within himself.

He did feel less burdened now, however. Kimberly was doing better with him around, and somehow, a little bit of her happiness seeped into him.

Perhaps he did not need the Power to direct his life. He really could start a dojo here in Florida or call Trini to see how she was doing. After all, he did not need to pour out his soul to her. He could just say hi.

With a burst of courage, Jason reached for the telephone again, and this time he did not hang up.

* * *

Will Jason pursue Trini or fall into step with Kim? :o

Let me know what you think!


	6. KPOV: Words with Friends

Shout outs to mysuperlexy43vr, Son of Whitebeard, RPM Shadow, brankel1, nekotea13, ae11021, and the guest reviewers. Thanks for the reviews and continued support!

Also, my beta has been on hiatus, so I'm in need of another one. PM me if interested.

* * *

"Aww, your cute 'friend' isn't coming with us?"

Kimberly decided to go on a run with Ashley this morning rather than hang out with Jason, who coincidentally, was the friend Ashley was referring to. Kimberly did not like how she said "friend" in air quotes.

"No, we do have our own lives, you know," Kimberly huffed as they ran down the street near a park.

"Yeah, but he is such a hunk!" Ashley wiggled her eyebrows.

_Ugh_. That was one thing about having a good-looking friend. She had to fend off the fawning girls.

"Oh," Ashley continued, "I see that look. It's the 'back off he's mine, but not yet' look." They turned the block.

"No, I just…I've known Jason like all my life, that's all." Kimberly did not want to say that Jason was like her brother. Describing a guy as her brother seemed taboo after Tommy.

"And you've never dated? You already look cute together. I see him come by the gym every Friday, and you leave with him. It's like you're dating already!"

Kimberly shook her head so her short ponytail whipped against her temple. "No, it's not like that."

"I bet he's _great_ in bed."

Images of a sweaty, shirtless Jason came uninvited into Kimberly's brain.

"I can't think of him like that." Her response was sharper than intended.

Ashley looked over at Kimberly. "Why? Because you don't want him to be your rebound?"

It had been a while since she thought about Tommy, and thinking about him did not hurt as much as it used to. It was too soon to think about dating again, though.

"Something like that. It's complicated."

"Doesn't seem complicated to me. He's hot, you're hot, he's not a jerk, and you know him pretty well…what?"

Kimberly stopped and walked up to the curb. She developed a stitch in her side—probably from all the talking.

"It wouldn't be right. Jason and Tommy were best friends in high school."

Ashley stretched her arms above her head. "So? Where is Tommy now? In _California_. Jason is still here with you in Florida. That's saying something."

Kimberly thought about that many times. Of all the places Jason could have gone, he chose to stay in Florida. She knew that people would put them together, but Kimberly did not want to think about that. It was too messy.

"Maybe he likes you. Have you thought about that? Maybe he's _waiting_ for you." Ashley smirked as Kimberly made a face. "What? I've noticed the death glares he gives Dave and Peter."

Kimberly hated it when Ashley put emphasis on random words. "I don't want things to get awkward between us. And we've both been through a lot, it's not the right time."

"Fine. You wait all you want. If I were you, I would have slept with him already. I don't know how you can ignore such a catch."

"Why don't you date him, then?" Kimberly was getting miffed now.

Ashley took off jogging, leaving Kimberly to catch up. "Maybe I will," she threw over her shoulder.

"You're impossible!"

OooooO

Kimberly tried not to think about Jason, but she could not. Everyone always assumed that she and Jason were a couple, and she was tired of it. But what could she do? She could not spend less time with him now, he would know something was up. Plus, she liked having him around sort of to herself, without Power Ranger obligations or boyfriend/girlfriend drama.

If Jason did have a girlfriend, she did not want to know. Kimberly shuddered.

She turned her thoughts to Trini. Jason was supposed to call her last night. She wondered how their talk went.

_That is, if he called her_. Kimberly felt bad. She sort of threw him under the bus when she told him to call Trini without any real explanation. She just hated it when there were misunderstandings between her friends. Jason and Trini were two very important people in her life, so naturally, she felt obligated to watch over their friendship.

She thought back to her last recent conversation with the former yellow ranger.

_OooooO_

_"It seems like you and Jason are having a lot of fun. I wish I was there with you guys," Trini lamented over the phone._

_"I know. I miss you lots, Tri. Is there any chance you'll be able to visit over the summer?" Kimberly asked hopefully._

_"I think I can manage a few days. I'll let you know."_

_"You better! Otherwise, I'll have to go over there just to scold you," Kimberly laughed aloud._

_"Would that be so bad? You'd be able to visit your mom, too, if you came." Trini was always the reasonable one._

_Kimberly had already thought of that and did not like that idea. "Yeah, I've had enough of my mom for a while though."_

_"It's just a thought. Anyway, expect me sometime in June. It depends on when the last case proceedings end."_

_"Sweet. I'm glad you're having fun over there."_

_"Me? I have piles of papers to go through every day! You and Jason just sit out on the beach all day and relive high school," Trini joked._

_"Yeah, and we work hard at it, too."_

_Trini paused before replying. "Hey, do you think Jason will ever go back to California?"_

_Kimberly thought for a moment. She had not thought that far into her own future, let alone Jason's. "I'm not sure. I know he has another year and a half of school, but he could transfer if he really wanted to. Why?"_

_"I don't know. He seems to be liking it in Florida, but it would be nice to hear it from him. He hasn't responded to any of my emails or calls."_

_The answer surprised Kimberly. She thought Jason had talked to both Trini and Zack by now._

_"When was the last time you talked?"_

_"We haven't talked since he left."_

_"Wait," Kimberly gaped, "what? So for like 6 months? Ugh, that pigheaded—"_

_"No, Kim, it's okay!" Trini rushed to her friend's defense. "He was pretty subdued in the few months before he left the Conference. Zack and I knew he was going through something, but I didn't bring it up to you because you…were also going through things."_

_Kimberly puffed out a breath and heard static through the earpiece. She could not deny that she was going through a lot at the time._

_"Jase still hasn't talked to you yet, though? That's so weird."_

_"Yeah, I thought so, too. He's talked to Zack."_

_Kimberly could hear the frown on Trini's face. "Jason probably thought he only had to call one of you in Europe." She shook her head. How could he not know that Trini would feel left out?_

_"Yeah, probably. We were really worried about him, Kim. I'm glad he's got you."_

_OooooO_

There it was again. That vague suggestion that she and Jason were a thing. Or was Kimberly reading too much into it?

She and Jason were close, it was true. She was beginning to think that they were too close.

Maybe she subconsciously urged Jason to get in touch with Trini to get him to branch out. Kimberly was not tired of having Jason around, but…it was weird that he did not talk to Trini like she did. Right?

As far as she could tell, Jason did not talk to many other people. He hardly talked about his classmates or how classes were going. He talked to Zack, but probably not a lot.

_It's about time that brooding brute opened up_, she assured herself. Kimberly was branching out and hanging out with more of her gymnastics friends, and if she was doing it, so would Jason. She could feel herself starting a new chapter in her life—she was getting over Tommy and gymnastics was less stressful. Things were starting to look up, and she was not going to have other people ruin it by telling confusing her friendship with Jason. There was no room for that.

Kimberly glanced at the clock. It was nearly dinner time, and she usually had dinner with Jason. She mentally cursed herself. She could already feel awkwardness when she thought of Jason.

_No! I will not let things get awkward!_

She walked over to the phone, composing herself as she picked it up. _It's just Jason, jeez, calm down._

After dialing his number, she heard his deep hello on the other end and instantly, the awkwardness melted away.

"Hey, Jase. What do you want to do for dinner?"

Yeah, she was overthinking it.


	7. KPOV: Ranger stuff

I lost the muse for a little while there, but I'm back, and this story will be finished no matter how long it takes. Still looking for a beta, too.

* * *

_Several Weeks Later..._

Jason was staring blankly at the television. It was another Friday evening, and Kimberly was settled into his side as always when she noticed that he was not paying attention to the show.

"You've been quiet." She rubbed his arm.

"Well," Jason stared down her face, "people are usually quiet when they're watching TV." He raised his eyebrows.

"Don't play dumb, Jase. And that's not always true." She knew he was avoiding her inquisitive prod. Whenever she wanted to know what was on his mind, she would have to ask a series of questions. If she waited until Jason was ready, she would never find out.

"Maybe I have a lot on my mind." He turned back to the television.

"Like what?" Kimberly placed her head back on his shoulder. She felt him sigh softly and swallow before giving a measured answer.

"Like what I'm going to do with my life. Where I'm going to stay. Who I want to be with, and what I'm going to do in the meantime if I can't be with them right now."

Kimberly could feel the rumble of his voice on her cheek. For once, she did not have to pry so hard.

She vaguely wondered if he ever called Trini that one time like she ask him to.

Jason was in a place she found herself not too long ago. Kimberly herself had to decide whether she wanted to train so far away from her friends and boyfriend, and now, he had to decide where he wanted to build his life.

She reached up to run her fingers through Jason's hair, and he leaned his head back to accommodate her.

"I just…I've made a lot of friends here, and I've talked to people who are interested in opening a dojo. I have a network here, but…" He closed his eyes.

Kimberly went out on a limb. "But Trini isn't a part of it."

"Yeah," Jason replied flatly.

Kimberly lazily hugged him with her other arm, nuzzling closer into his neck. Jason wrapped his left arm around her waist in response.

After a minute, she lifted her head and propped both of her elbows on Jason's shoulders to get his attention. She was now looking at him full in the face. "Things will work out, JJ. This is coming from me, Miss Drama Queen." She smiled, hoping to get Jason out of his funk.

Jason was quiet as he regarded Kimberly. She wondered what he was thinking; Jason had his serious face on.

"How did Tommy act when you decided to come here?"

Kimberly was surprised by the question, but saw why he hesitated. She realized it did not hurt as much to think or talk about Tommy anymore.

"He was fully supportive. He wanted me to pursue my dreams and didn't want to see me get hurt by aliens anymore." She ended with a lopsided grin and slid back down to her side of the couch. She realized she was almost sitting in Jason's lap.

What she said about Tommy was true. He did not bat an eye when she told him about her acceptance letter, and she was relieved that he did not begrudge her for a "ticket out." It was something they had been waiting for after Jason, Zack, and Trini left. Rocky, Adam, and Aisha were amazing friends of course, but the era of the original Rangers had faded away.

Plus, being evil had taken its toll on both Tommy and Kimberly. Being a Power Ranger always had that risk. It was an unspoken agreement that she and Tommy would leave the Rangers when the opportunity came up.

Jason frowned at the television as he processed her words.

Kimberly continued, "Why, did you feel like Europe wasn't the place for you? Or that you'd get in the way of Trini's dreams?" She was not sure if Jason felt like he was Tommy or her in this situation—the one letting the other pursue their dreams or the one pursuing.

"I felt like I was hanging around, waiting for something to happen. Trini and Zack found what they were good at in Switzerland, but I was just going to class, doing my own thing."

"That's normal though. You were what? Seventeen? Like no one knows what they want at seventeen," Kimberly reasoned. Apparently, she was a wise sage now.

Jason shifted on the couch. "Yeah, but I did know what I wanted." He somberly gazed at Kimberly before looking to his lap.

_Come on, Jase, please don't clam up…_

Kimberly felt like he was going to confess something she knew for some time, but could not put a finger on it. Jason turned away, but not before she caught the disgusted look on his face.

Confused, she guessed, "You still wanted to be a Power Ranger?"

"Yeah," Jason's voice cracked.

Kimberly wondered why Jason would be ashamed for admitting he still wanted to be a Power Ranger. At the time he was surrounded by his friends, he was the leader, and they were kicking evil ass. True, he would have to find some other occupation besides Power Ranger, but Kimberly thought Jason could reasonably manage a dojo while fulfilling Ranger duties. Being a Power Ranger was stressful, too, but he seemed to live off the high of beating the bad guys.

In the end, she decided to ask a question she had not asked since the night she barged into Jason's apartment months ago.

"Why did you leave?" She hoped she was not pushing him too far.

Although Jason was looking down, Kimberly could still see him trying to erase his disgusted look. She thought from the profile of his face that he settled on a more neutral expression. Her eyes darted down to his bobbing Adam's apple. It was his tell. He was going answer truthfully.

"Because I felt like a shitty leader."

It was Kimberly's turn to frown. Jason was the best option they had for a leader, and he exceeded expectations for the role. They all did as rangers, but Jason did especially for being the backbone of the team.

"Jase, you were awesome. Why would you think that?" Her small hands gripped his arm in alarm.

Jason looked affronted, and Kimberly softened her grip. Did she say something wrong?

"I was _awesome_? Try telling that to Alpha and Zordon. They had to replace me because I was so bad."

Kimberly felt relieved at his explanation. It was a simple misunderstanding. Poor Jase, he had it all wrong for so long…

"The only reason Tommy replaced you was because you were leaving for the Peace Conference." Her voice was confident and full of emphasis.

Instead of responding with dubious surprise, Jason slowly leaned back on the armrest of the couch, away from Kimberly. When he lifted his eyes, they cut her to the core.

"I left _because_ they replaced me with Tommy."

Kimberly let her hands fall away from his arm. She shuddered on the inside. She saw a glimpse of the icy demeanor that welcomed her on the night of their reunion in his unfurnished apartment. Was this a joke? Why would else Zordon replace Jason?

She furrowed her eyebrows and held Jason's gaze. "No, Zordon must have known that you were leaving."

"But I wasn't thinking about leaving until I heard the announcement about the Peace Conference." Jason was ready for her rebuff.

"There must be another reason, Jase, you know that." There must have been another reason, she was sure of it.

Jason shook his head. "What other reason? They didn't give me or anyone, not even Tommy, a heads up before he got the White Ranger powers."

"I don't know. But it can't be that." Alpha and Zordon could not be that mean. Maybe they knew Jason, Trini, and Zack were all going to leave, and made early preparations. Who knew what went on in that floating brain? "Maybe it was the right time to switch leadership, since Tommy lost his powers and Zordon probably knew you all were going to leave. He probably knew Tommy needed to train as a leader with us or something." Kimberly surprised herself with her quick defense of her ex.

"Kim, I was the reason Tommy lost his powers in the first place." His nostrils flared almost imperceptibly. Abruptly, Jason got up and started pacing.

_Oh no…_

Jason carried too much of the burden on his shoulders. Kimberly could see it now. It was always his weakness. He cared so much about his friends that he took the blame for every bad thing that happened to them. Kimberly thought about all the times the Rangers were in trouble and all the times Jason blamed himself for not being stronger, more courageous, and more aware.

"Jase, you're not the reason why Tommy lost his powers, you know that."

Jason stopped his pacing and threw a scathing look at Kimberly before continuing again. He looked like he needed a punching bag.

"It was Rita's fault, she was the one who made and lit the candle." She could not believe Jason held on to this burden for so long. She also wanted to hit Jason upside his head because he was the one who volunteered to retrieve the candle from the Dark Dimension. _Masochistic bastard, always trying to save everyone else..._

"It's so much more than that." He cupped his hands around his mouth and looked at the ceiling.

Kimberly thought about the day they were on the Island of Illusion, and Jason's fear was that he had failed his friends. He was not able to help them overcome their fears, and as a result, they all disappeared, leaving Jason apparently alone.

"You never failed us. We were a _team_. Everyone played a part and helped each other. It wasn't up to you to save everyone all the time." Her voice sounded a little harsh, but she wanted to get the message through his thick skull.

Jason's response was quick and sharp. "Look, you wouldn't get it."

Kimberly stared at Jason in disbelief. "Every one of us was worried. All the time. Not just you. Do you know how many times I thought I would be going to a funeral? Almost every day. And after Zedd made me his evil queen, I thought 'wow, it's only a matter of time until he turns someone else evil!'"

Jason wheeled around on her. "Yeah, but it was my responsibility as leader to protect you guys from that kind of stuff!" He pointed a finger at his chest. "It was _my_ responsibility as leader. Mine."

His jaw was set and Kimberly noticed that while his brow was furrowed, his eye widened a little, too.

"Well," she puffed out her cheeks, "now it's Tommy's, and you don't have to worry anymore." She was tired of going in circles on the subject. She would not mind using Jason as a punching bag. "You have to let this go, Jase. Please."

Jason rubbed his neck and shook his head. "It's not that easy."

"Why not?"

"Because…I don't know it's hard to explain. I feel like I _need_ the Power. It's been better now that I've been in Florida and am going to school and have things to look forward to, but always there." He finished with a slightly troubled look.

Kimberly squinted her eyes at Jason. The Power affected him differently—more profoundly—than the others. She wondered if Tommy now felt this way, too.

"Have you talked to anyone recently?" She wondered if he reached out to anyone, or if a current or former ranger reached out to him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like…have you talked to a Power Ranger recently?" Kimberly looked at Jason straight in the eye, but he could not hold her gaze.

"No. Why would you ask that?" Her question seemed to take the wind out his sails.

She did not believe him. "Why else would you start talking about Ranger stuff now?"

Jason turned away to stand near the window. He placed his hand on the window sill as he appeared to gaze at the setting sun.

"I don't know."

* * *

Do you like the story so far? Let me know in a review! :)


	8. JPOV: Can you see me now?

_"Greetings, Jason. It's Billy. It took me nearly an hour to confirm your telephone number across state communication channels. Please call me back at 530-XXX-XXXX when you receive this message."_

Beep.

_"Jason, it's Billy again. In the event that you did not receive my previous message, it is imperative that you return my call. Please reach me at 530-XXX-XXXX."_

Beep.

_"According to the automated message with your own voice, I believe I have reached the correct number, Jason. Please call me back."_

Beep.

_"Jason, if I have to call you one more time, I will not hesitate to triangulate your location and teleport you to the Command Center. Oh, and it's Billy. Call me back."_

Beep.

_End of messages._

OooooO

"Why else would you start talking about Ranger stuff now?"

Jason turned away to stand near the window. He placed his hand on the window sill as he appeared to gaze at the setting sun.

"I don't know."

But Jason did know why his ugly feelings about being a Ranger were surfacing now. He had hoped Kimberly would not be right on the money about a Ranger contacting him, though.

How does she do that?

Kimberly stared at him sympathetically.

Jason plopped back onto the couch beside her, defeated. She wordlessly drew his head onto her lap and stroked his hair. Somehow, she made him feel safe. Safe from himself? He was not sure.

He could only think of one reason why Billy would call him. The last message mentioning the Command Center confirmed it.

Over the last few days, Jason had been getting messages on his answering machine from Billy. Jason had a habit of not answering his phone unless the caller left a message. He really did not have anything against Billy, or anyone else, but he was not ready to talk to any former Rangers.

Jason already had enough on his mind with potentially starting a dojo and finishing up school. He even toyed with the idea of taking a two-week long trip to Europe. Things were starting to kind of look up until Billy called.

But really, why else would Billy call? He wanted Jason to come back…for some Ranger related reason.

Surely…he did not want Jason to come back as a Ranger?

Just as Jason pushed those thoughts out of his mind, they came slinking back. He felt giddy at the prospect of being a Ranger again, but at the same time, felt intense anxiety.

There was no way they were asking him to be a Ranger again. They must have some weird power fluctuation with the Red Power Coin and needed his help to recalibrate it or something.

_That's why Billy was the one who made the call,_ Jason reasoned. Otherwise Tommy would have called if the situation was that…serious. That, or they would have already teleported him to the Command Center.

However, not too long after, the thought of having the Power course through him again seized him like a vise.

He was beginning to think it was just as destructive to him as he was to it.

OooooO

Jason felt his eyelashes brush against something when he opened them.

_Whaa?_

Belatedly, he realized he fell asleep, and his cheek was resting against Kimberly's stomach.

He moved to get up, but then immediately missed the warmth of her lap, and laid his head back down.

"You fell asleep." Kimberly had been watching him.

"Uh, yeah I guess you have a comfy lap." He smiled up at her. He felt her hand at the top of his head.

"Oh, Jase." It dawned on Jason that her head was moving closer to his. Another hand grasped his chin as he felt the warm pressure of her lips on his forehead. It felt nice.

Jason closed his eyes again. When he opened them, Kimberly leaned away.

"We should probably go to bed," she said.

Jason sat up completely this time, shoulder to shoulder with Kimberly, and saw that it was late. Probably too late for her to drive home tonight.

"Yeah," was all Jason said. Kimberly rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. He looked down at her. "What?"

Her lips parted as if she was going to answer but already decided she would not.

What Jason did next felt completely natural—he was not planning on it, nor did he ever think he would be comfortable crossing this boundary.

He kissed Kimberly on the lips.

When he broke away, she had on a face of mild surprise.

"You know, I've been wondering what that would feel like," she revealed.

It was Jason's turn to be surprised.

"What?" He was not sure he heard her correctly. He was tumble of emotions tonight, and maybe his imagination got the better of him.

"I've wanted to do that for a while," she clarified. "And by a while, I mean, like, three days." Kimberly gave a lopsided grin.

Even though their faces were centimeters apart, it felt like Jason was seeing Kimberly clearly for the first time in years. He could not explain it. He stared at how the top of her ear peaked out from her caramel tresses, how her eyes seemed to glitter even in the evening light, and how her cherub lips were both pouting and smiling. How had he not seen her before?

They kissed again.

Kimberly let out a girlish laugh, and Jason squashed the feeling of guilt that welled up. What was he doing? He was not sure.

He thought he had feelings for Trini, but she was thousands of miles away…and Kimberly was right here.

Somehow, when he was this close to her, when he was kissing her, he felt like everything could be okay.

Jason only stiffened slightly when Kimberly eased herself into his lap. He stared at her inquisitively, but only for a moment.

Before he could get around to feeling guilty for kissing his supposed best friend's ex, and before he could give another thought to primary-color clad heroes, he was enveloped in Kimberly's soft fragrance and soft caresses.

It only felt right to return her embrace.


End file.
